Lost Warrior

We found the lost warrior, thanks to all of you

On January 23, 2013, a terracotta figure became separated from his cohorts as they were en route from China to San Francisco. He and his seven fellow warriors, along with two life-size horses, were scheduled to appear in the special exhibition China’s Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor’s Legacy which was to open on February 22. We issued a plea seeking the public's assistance in locating this missing warrior, as his timely return was of utmost importance.

2,112 years old, 5’ 5” tall, mud-colored, and not speaking a word of English, we suspected he would stick out in a crowd but were concerned for his safety. People were encouraged to inform us of any sightings by posting photos to Twitter, Instagram, or our Facebook wall—and tagging their posts with #LostWarrior so we could track his whereabouts on this interactive map.

We received an overwhelming number of kind responses from the community. Those who spotted the lost warrior pitched in by participating in social media, lighting up the online map which allowed us to make educated guesses on the warrior's trajectory. On the morning of February 20, Moses Carbins, an erstwhile homeless man, discovered the roaming warrior at the United Nations Plaza Farmers' Market in Civic Center. He personally led the warrior through the museum's front doors where they were both greeted with warm fanfare.

Thanks to everyone who lent a helping hand. Here are some more details on the wayward warrior's happy reunion with his troop.